MulkearLIFE to Support BioBlitz 2013 This Week-End – 24/25 May 2013

MulkearLIFE and members of the Mulkear Conservation Volunteers (MCV) will support BioBlitz 2013 which is taking place throughout Ireland this coming week-end – 24 & 25 May 2013. The event, which is included in the 2013 Schedule of MCV Outings here: Mulkear Conservation Volunteers: 2013 Schedule of Outings will take place at four different locations.

BioBlitz 2011, volunteers in Dromore Woods (Image: Brendan Dunford)

The event will take place for 24 hours from 17.00hrs on Friday 24th May to 17.00hrs on Saturday 25th May recording will take place at various locations throughout Ireland. BioBlitz 2013 is being organised by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, in conjunction with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Coillte and the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording. For further information on BioBlitz please see: BioBlitz 2013

MulkearLIFE and members of the Mulkear Conservation Volunteers will be supporting BioBlizt in the Burren National Park. This is a return visit to our near neighbours in Co. Clare following participation in the 2011 event in Dromore Woods.

The Burren National Park is one of the most outstanding landscapes in Ireland with a vast richness of flora and fauna. It extends for 1,500 hectares and is owned by the State and managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service. It is an area of high nature and conservation value and is designated as an Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Much of the National Park lies within the East Burren Complex SAC see here:

Mute Swans, Burren NP, February 2013 (Image: Ruairí Ó Conchúir)

It contains both priority Annex I and Annex II habitats of Irish and European importance, including species rich calcareous grasslands, limestone pavement, petrifying springs, oligotrophic lakes, turloughs, woodlands and hazel scrub. The National Park is also a cultural landscape of international importance with a vast cultural, historical and archaeological heritage.

Burnet moth, part of the rich biodiversity of the Burren (Image: Ruairí Ó Conchúir)

The MulkearLIFE team and members of the Mulkear Conservation Volunteers (MCV), will work alongside colleagues in the Inland Fisheries Ireland, NPWS, Burrenbeo and the Burrenbeo Conservation Volunteers (see here) together with other bodies and volunteers. We will focus our efforts on the recording skills of MCV members – which are many and varied. We will in particular focus on fresh water fish and invertebrates, mammals and bird species. Depending of the level of interest, MulkearLIFE will organise free transport from the offices of MulkearLIFE, Inland Fisheries Ireland, Dock Rd, Limerick. We hope as many people as possible can be part of this event in the beautiful Burren as part of the Mulkear Conservation Volunteers 2013 Schedule of Outings.